Push-released door latch



April 18, 1961 D. E. scHwANz ErAL 2,980,459

PUSH-RELEASED DooR LATCH Filed Aug. 2s, 1957 ATTORNEYS PUSH-RELEASED 'DUDE LATCH Donald E. Schwanz and Vernon L. Sturman, inneapplls, Minn., assignors to Hiawatha Metalcraflnc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Aug. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 679,917

2 Claims. (Cl. 292-122) This invention relates to mechanism for latching and releasing doors to facilitate opening thereof by imparting thrust to a conveniently mounted push bar which also provides the resiliency for retaining the latch when the door is closed.

While our invention is capable of use on any type of vertically hinged doors, it is particularly adapted for screen or storm doors where simplicity of structure and lightweight are essential.

Itis an object of our invention to provide a very simple but highly eicient door latch with push-control releasing means, which structure may be mounted upon a door with a minimum eort, requiring only a simple opening through the door for installation thereof.

A further object is the provision of a door latch of the type described which employs an elongated, resilient push bar horizontally disposed at approximately the height of the latch member for releasing the latch when the bar is pushed towards the door by Vcontact with aV human body and for also securing and retaining the latch when the door is swung to closed position.

Another object is the provision of a multi-functional handle. and push-bar member readily assembled with the latch member and insertable through a single opening formed in a door adjacent the free edge thereof. This integral member provides a handle at one side of the door and a push-bar release at the opposite side of the door and in addition, supplies the tension for retaining the latch member to secure the door in closed position, and also protect the screen.

A still further object is the provision of a highly simplied latch construction wherein one of the escutcheon plates of the latch serves as a support for the multifunction push-bar and handle member, as well as for the latch member itself. v

Another object of our invention is the provision of simple push-release mechanism which may be readily applied to conventional door latches-now installed in swinging doors for facilitating release of the latch mechanism by thrust against a horizontally disposed push-bar while also providing the tension or resiliency for returning the latch member to locking position and retaining the latch when the door is swung to closed position;

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear from the following description Y made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts .throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a horizontal mid-section through a screen door with portions broken away to foreshorten the same and showing van embodiment of our complete latch mechanism installed therein;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation, taken on a slightly larger scale than Fig. l of the mechanism shown ingEig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, taken on a larger scale showing the latch member detached;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the inner escutcheon plate and housing for the latch member and accommodation of a portion of the integral push-bar;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation latch housing, the dotted lines indicating the cross sectional shape of our push-bar conlined therein;

Fig. 6 is a central, horizontal section illustrating another form of our invention comprising an attachment for use with conventional installed latches applied to a screen door, the dotted lines indicating the position of the latch in retaining the door 'm closed position; and

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken along the lineg6-6 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the complete latch and release mechanism illustrated in Figs. l to 4 of the drawings, our structure is mounted upon a conventional type of screen door designated as an entirety by the letter D, hinged in the usual mannerV (not shown) from the right longitudinal edge thereof, as viewed in Figs. 1 aud 2. The free edge of door D cooperatesv with a conventional door jamb I which is provided appropriately at its inwardly offset, vertical portion with a conventional strike plate S which as shown, is medially slotted to cam-engage and lock with a shiftable latch member or plate 8.

Our entire latch mechanism with `the exception of the escutcheon plates 9 and 10 is insertable through and accommodated by a single bore or recess R of cylindrical shape formed adjacent the free vertical edge of the door at an appropriate height. The door-recess R may be drilled with an ordinary brace and bit and need not be over one inch in diameter.

In the simple latch mechanism illustrated in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, we provide a small open housing 11 (see Figs. 4 and l) having an attachment base 11a which may be welded or otherwise secured to the inside door escutcheon 1i). This housing is U-shaped in cross section. the inner walls thereof being,V spaced apart a distance to nicely accommodate the shiftable orv swingable latch member S while oset llanges 11e straddle and confine a portion of the push-bar 13 (see Fig. 5 `Latch member 8,as clearly shown in Fig. 3 is constructed from a rigid, flat sheet of suitable metal and is generally of L-shape having its inner or attachment portionprovided with an aperture athrough-which a pivot pinr 1,2 is extended, said pinl being received in `thettwo opposedV and spaced side walls 11b of the housing. The outer and longer end of the latch member 8 extends outwardly and horizontally terminates in a hook-like extremity 8b which is rounded at its extreme edge to camV against the strike plate and which has'a lockingshoulder 8c on the inward surface of said end. f w

The insidetescutcheon 10 covers the opening R and is slotted to accommodate the extending portion of the latch member and slotted vertically at 10a to very. loosely accommodate'the lintermediate portion 13a of a preferably integral, multi-function .push-bar and handle indicated as an entirety bythe numeral 1.3. The inside esc'utcheon 1? carries some suitable locking or clogging mechanism for retaining .the latch memberV in door-retaining position. As shown, a simple slide plate 14 is provided, having slot and pin connection 14a with escutcheon litY and having'an intermediate notched portion at its upper edge to accommodate the intermediate portion 13a of bar-13 which as shown in Fig. 2, gives freedomA of the'push bar Y latch folate," yieldingly retainingpositiotl.iV v

' to provide an attachment foot 13b which can be iirmlyY secured to one of the rails (the rail which ishinged) of the door. Such structure spaces thegbody'or main portion of the push' bar 13 Ia short distancefrom the inner surface of the door and this lbar extends across the middle heightV of the door throughout almost the entire width thereof. The `opposite end portion of theibar 13 is bent at substantially right angles to the main or body portion to yform the intermediate handle portion 13a previously described. The extremity of the bar 13 opposite from the attached portion is bent Iagain at substantially right anglesrto form an outside' latch handle 13C'.- 1 f VIt will be understood that the bar 13 is constructed of fairlyresilient and elastic material such as aluminum alloy or other metals preferably of relatively'light weight. The bending of the bar 13 providing'the intermediate portion 13a and also forming the handle portion 13e is preferably along curved lines so that the entire bar before assembly of the escutcheonplates, may readily be passed through the relatively small Iaperture R formed near the freeedge ofthe door and so that further, theV bar may be passed through the Iappropriate slots formed in the two escutchrcon plates9 and 10. v

The intermediate handiepertionisa of the bar 1sk is kconstructed for accommodating and pivoting with the short yarm Sdof thelatch member. A s shown, this intel'.-

i mediate. bar portion A4is.slotted longitudinally of the bar,

'receiving theshort arm 8d of the lever-latch member and 'Y being pivotedthereto'by means ofv a 15. The posi- Y tions and spacing ofthe pivot pins 12 andlS are such in referencelto the elongated arm-ofthe latch member,V that the latchmember will remanin'the door-retaining position shownY in'Figsl and `2 through'thfe normal positioning of thepushibar 13.

' When the pushbar 13 is contacted from the hips or other portion of a human body, it moves slightly in thedirectionof the door itself and thereby, is Vplaced under spring 'tension. Such movementof the. body .of bar 1 3 ,throught its intermediate pivotal connection with the latch member, swings the latchLmember to released position, clearing the strike plate S and of course, further thrust or pushjt'against theibar causes the vdoorrto open.

Nhen` the door is closed manually or by a closing'spring,

Y the Veuri/ed, end' ofthe latch plate, 8` cams .against the Y'striker plate lcausinglthe; locking shoulder. 8c to engage Vthenhasp' thea previous tension upon push bai' V13re- A turns'lthe pushbar to the normal closed position shown in Eig. f l'and 1in lso doing of. cour`se,' through its pivotal connection'bythepin 15 to the shortV arm 8d of the lever.- Vretains@ the latch-"plate indoor- Thus the'fintegr'al push-bar and handle'member'eliminatesr need for any springs 'uponthe latchrstru'ct'ure per se as v'well as "furnishing an across-the-door release bato enable me, Prsns Withpackages' or'iarticles in their hands Qto readily release Vthelatchv and openthedoorthrough f ymerelybodilyfpushing outwardly. against thebar 13. i

Our Kattachment illustrated in Figs. and 7 consists in *a push bar 20 for the most part, of the general construction of our push bar 13 in the form rst'described. The push bar in the latter instance or attachmenthowever, terminates at the left end as viewed in Fig. 5, short of the positioning ofthe escutcheons of the latch. For facilitating adjustment, the push bar 20 may be cut to various lengths depending on the various particular widths of doors to which it is to be attached, Y

A handle-engaging and .operating head 21 is provided for rigid attachment to the-straight, left end of the push bar 20 having as shown in YFig. 6, Vva pair of spaced arms 21a which extend horizontally and inwardly towards the door for conning the width of the free end of the inner handle 18. A small roller 22 is journaled on a shaft 22a which extends between'and is supported by the extremities ofthe spaced V arms 21a; The head member 21V carries an attachment socket 21b which is shaped to'telescope over the extremity yof thev push bar 20 and as shown, a pairof setscrews 23 are provided for rigidly securing the socket of the head to the pushbar 20. e* It will ofcourse-be understood that head 21 lmay be provided with a more simplified handleeengaging and con- V ning means eliminatingif desiredg'the roller 22 and merely utilizing a properly proportioned casting o r lstamp- Itwill ofcourse be understood that .various changes may be made in the form, details,V` arrangement'afnd proportionsof thepartsrwithout departing from thescope of our invention@ Whatis claimedis: n r u Y f il, .In combination with a'ivertically hinged door having a small aperture bored medially. of itsv height adjacent the free verticalV edge thereof door latch and guard structure comprising a latch -member mountedlwithin said aperturedportion of the door.v and having a` securingele- Y mentV extending outwardly from. said door,.said latch .point 'substantiallyVV removed fromV said latch member leaving the greaterl portion Vof said body and the opposite endffree for flexing movement toward and awayfrom 'said-door, said ..opposite endY of said bodybeing' irst lIn addition tothe Vforegoing functions, themain portion door' handlejS is 's howmfsaid handlev'part's'being eitherV "integiallygfor/med or'frigidlyinterconnected;The inter- Y of "the connection betweenpthe tWohandles a latcltoth 19fwhich`isadaptedftoen- .Y

niedial Vportion 'retaining 'erle-mentV extending outwardlyJfrom vsaid door 'f and an'arm mounted finsaidaper'ture, 'an elongated bar Y vconstructed substantiallythroughoutof somewhat exible i .f of' the-bar Y13 ispaced from the innerside of the door'furfl `nishfesaprotectioirto prevenffoutwardjbulging zofthe 'g ,screen by 'kneesV 'orother portions ofiapersons body. Y Y. v The vform'off,oit-lr invention 'illustrated inFigsf and 7.

provides la pushreleasing Y attachmeht and `retaining means for application toconventional .handle-type latch mechanisms now'in wideilse on auxiliaryd'oors.:

"lnthis'fo'rm ofthe invention', .-a conventional typeof latch'necha'nisn'rhaving'thel outer handle f17 `and the-innery Y resilient material 'dispose saiddo'or, means aixiiig@ at .;a pointfsubstantiallyrf removed; troni "said latch mem- 'bewr'leavingltlje .sreatrfpartifin Gf. S Y

ing"A moje'rnent Ytoigvar'cl.:and 'away' from; said door; the, op- ,positeend of saidlbarfbeingfrst curved to'j form aishort Y' 'thi respectto `the' main y cur'ved to` form a short portion angled with respectto said body and which extends lthrough theA aperture of said door adjacent.. said latch member and directly connected to a portion of said latch member forshifting the samewhen said body-is e'xedinwardly toward'saiddoor, said Vopposite :bar endY terminating in a handle-portion curved from saidV last mentioned angle. portion and disposed on the side ofusaidhdoor opposite .from said body; the said curving of saidj .barl to form ..said angled portionspenabling said-megmlgbarfie be longitudinally passedy 'thrugh Ysaid doora'perturefor.assemblypurposesof said structure. '1:60

27.' In combination with ajvertically-hinged door having ling' asmall aperture Vrnedially; ofj its heightjadjacent its Afree Vertical edge,V door.V latch' and operatingV mechanism feomprisinga bell'cranklatchv member V-pivotally mounted within said apertureddoorv portion and Yhavingf a haspd` ransversely Yand 'niedially of nndofV said barto said door doortiaversingf'portionj angled y l a,eao,4ae 5 6 portion and then being again curved to form a handle References Cited in the Ie of this patent portion extending errterioy of s aid door, said first UNITED STATES PATENTS angled portlon extending through sald aperture and being said door aperture for assembly purposes. 

